I have to say that once the Gallery is up and running there will be some mighty additions to add to previous years pictures. There is some exceptional carving and some great pictures have been taken.

If you ever have the time, scan through all the years as some of the pictures are truly inspirational. It is also interesting to see how more thought has gone into the process over the years.

This year holds a lot of promise...even GUS has uploaded photos. Yes you read that right, even GUS has uploaded photos, so no-one has any excuses anymore.

For me, although there are lots of high quality carves from Hottie (who for some reason I always call Hottie Totty), Pumpken, Dadja, Ravens etc in fact anyone who has posted, the best pictures so far have been from Ajax.

He's obviously put a lot of thought into his props, positioning etc and they all look spectacular.

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Thanks that inspires me to do more and try harder. To be honest when I first came here I was a one or two pumpkin a year carver and I think it was 2008/2009 season that I seen Dadjas forum with all his process shots and he inspired me to do larger #s and up my quality. 2009 I think I seen Nos's pictures with his awesome stageing and lighting and tried to up it a notch again. Hotties carves are all always amazing in quantity and quality and i'm doing my best not to steal her idea to cut a star as a topper, but I won't it's her Trademark . Probably won't be adopting Dadja's shading/cutthrough although it always comes out amazing( way to time consuming and a little harder for me). Ryan's props and lighting are are one of the biggest inspirations for my photos. Those Crypt Keeper hands were really a great idea. So many great carvers and photographers on here that really make us all try to up our techniques each year.

"Some people are born to use a chainsaw. Me. Well I got one attached to me. "

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I agree, some of the early carvers around here have really been taking some stellar photos. I love seeing any of my designs carved, but after looking at thousands of pictures where the orange design is floating in black space, I've begun to really appreciate the photos that use creative props, and nice lighting.

I've been using more of these techniques in my own photos too. Every time I photograph one of my carvings, I think, "Okay, now what props or projections can I add to this, to create a theme?"

To those who have shown your photos in this forum, please don't forget to upload them to the main site's Gruesome Gallery too. It would be a shame if they weren't archived for posterity.

Nosferatu, thanks for encouraging people to browse through the current and previous galleries. I know it can be a chore to scan hundreds of photos, but there are some real gems in there. Which is why I might add a new "Cream of the Crop" gallery that features some of the best examples.

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"Cream of the Crop" gallery is a great idea and would make an excellent pictorial gallery in your forthcoming book.

I think the galleries are an under rated and underused part of the site. Some of the pictures from 2003 are among my favourites.

I always like to compare and contrast how other people have photographed and displayed the same designs that I have carved. Not in a "mine's better than that way", more of "I wish I'd thought of that way".

Anyway, I've just been trying to arrange for Ajax's hands to be "accidentally" wounded in a bizarre Pro Carving Tool accident but cannot get hold of Tonya Harding

She is my cousin (no joke) I will call her for you. Kidding! On the calling part anyways, she is my real cousin (3rd/4th something like that) but I have never actually talked to her. She has been somewhat blacklisted from the family, I just don't see why?!

Anywho I agree the Galleries are truly inspiring! I enjoy browsing through them. I feel a Cream of The Crop section would do well, I do like seeing all the photos as one collective group but some people deserve a little extra recognition!